DragonSkies
by dreamerskies
Summary: Another pass looms for Pern, and so does the threat of some very disgruntled Holders. When Kelsey unexpectedly Impresses Zemeth, will she be able to survive the turmoil in the Pass to follow? Chapter 11 is up!
1. Chapter 1

****I don't own Pern or any of the characters that come from the Anne McCaffery stories. The other characters are of my creation though, and I'd appreciate it if you would ask permission before using them.****

This is a story I've been working on for a long time, but I only recently found out that FanFiction existed. Guess I just found out what to do with the story!

"_Well, I don't care what they say, it's not coming. And that's the end of it."_

_"But…"_

_"But nothing. It hasn't come in over 190 turns, it's not coming anymore. It's dead. Gone. A myth."_

_"But it's suppose to be every 200 turns."_

_"So what? Are you going to let yourself believe those thousand turn old stories? They're leeches, sucking what is rightfully ours away from us. They're useless! Just because they have dragons, doesn't mean that we have to suffer. Let them suffer a bit!"_

_"And if thread really comes?"_

_"It won't."_

_"What do we do, then?"_

_"Should we go in there and demand they supply themselves? Or force them to?"_

_"No. We watch. We wait. Our time will come. Then the leeches will be sucking our blood no more."_

A brownish speck still high in the clouds resolved itself into the unmistakable shape of one of the great dragons. Eyes fixed on its spiraling descent, a young girl first hollered for her Uncle, and then stood stone still in the courtyard. Sweeping now very much forgotten, her eyes locked on the great beast. His translucent wings worked to land as the muscular hind legs found purchase on the stony ridge. His forefeet touched the ground, and he swung his wedge shaped head around on the sinewus neck to watch his rider dismount and stride over to the Lord Holder. The young girl was about to return to her work, when she fancied that she had heard something. Turning in all directions she tried to locate where the sound, no, the voice had come from. No one was around except the newly arrived brown dragon. With a small sigh, she returned to her sweeping. Suddenly, her head shot up. Once again a voice echoed in her head. It wasn't human, and yet… and yet it almost was. Tentatively, the girl called out in her mind, _who's there?_ There was a silence and then, _I am Sementh, who calls?_ The voice echoed in her mind as she jumped back in surprise and fear, all the while watching the dragon's head swing around in search of the speaker. She could hear the dragon! _Am I really talking to them_? she thought. The voice once again echoed in her head, perfectly and wonderfully clear. _Yes, you are. Who are you? I have never heard you before._ Simultaneously the Sementh found her eyes, and the two locked gazes, the brilliant multifaceted eyes fixed intently on the pair of willful brown ones staring back at him. The girl spoke carefully then, and without taking her eyes from the dragon, _my name is_ _Kelsey, Sementh…_

"Kelsey!" a strong yell shattered the air, and Kelsey's reminiscing. She groaned and rolled over on the grass, trying to ignore her mother.

"Kelsey, get over here!" The screeching yell reverberated in the rocks surrounding Gar Hold. Kelsey gave one more stretch before getting up. From the sound of the echoes, her mother was inside the mouth of the cave that was the entrance to Gar, and couldn't see her. Good! Kelsey thought. I can stay out for a few minutes longer. Kelsey loved dwelling on that long ago moment when she had first heard dragons. Even now she wasn't sure that the memory was real. Dragons had not visited the hold since that day. She wished that the dragons would come, and possibly take her away. Anywhere was better then here. No one cared if Kelsey existed, or could talk to dragons.

_That's your fault you know she told herself. You told Sementh not to tell anyone._ Dragons, yes, that was a topic frequently on Kelsey's mind. Riding a dragon, it was her favorite daydream, but it was about as likely as finding a diamond in the tiny hold. The Red Star hadn't dropped thread in 190 turns. She shuddered. Thread. If the old stories were true, it was a parasite of some kind. Allow it to burrow into the earth and it would grow and wipe out every green thing. Every single one. The only things that were impervious to it were stone and metal. Fire destroyed it, fire from the dragon's mouths. But that was heresy. Oh, the dragons could breathe fire, if they chewed firestone. But stop Thread in it's tracks? Besides, no one was alive that remembered the last Pass of the Red Star. Most people were convinced that it would never make a Pass again. But since it was still in the Interval, the queens weren't dropping as many eggs, and especially not as many queen eggs. And since the queen egg was the only type a girl could impress, well, Kelsey had almost no chance. Besides, being Weyrwomen was boring. I'd much rather impress a fighting dragon like Jenen… She stopped herself. Her brother had been gone two years now, taken on search while at a gather in Ista. He had never come back, the general assumption being he had Impressed. With a sigh, Kelsey stood up, absentmindly brushed dirt off of her top and skirt, and then turned back up the dusty tracks that lead to the hold.

Back in the hold, Kelsey's mother was in a frenzy.

"A search dragon is coming tomorrow!" She cried. That stopped Kelsey in her tracks. A search dragon? Here? A freezing sensation made its way into her gut. Why? Could the Fort queen have laid a clutch? If she had, the hold had not heard of it. Kelsey turned to ask what was going on, when her sister beat her to it.

" Why is a search dragon coming, mother?" Silka asked in her politest tone. Kelsey rolled her eyes. Silka was always polite, yet another thing that drove Kelsey insane about her older sister.

" Kirth has laid a golden egg, and they are still looking for candidates" her mother replied. The nearby girls began shrieking with delight, causing the cooks to look over in exasperation. Kelsey didn't shriek, she simply turned away and walked to her cubical. _Oh, joy_ she thought. Being the youngest, she had no chance of getting chosen. Unless Sementh was the search dragon. Unless Sementh had told someone. But he had promised that he wouldn't and a dragon's word was a promise. On impulse, Kelsey turned and headed down the stone stairs for the bathing room. No sense in having mother's scathing remarks about being covered in dirt add to her day. Upon walking in, she found it predictably full of all the girls in the hold, chattering away about who would be searched. It was going to be a long wait. Kelsey sighed, and settled down to wait her turn. The freezing sensation that had curled into her stomach was unsettling. She didn't understand it. Impressing was what she dreamed of! To ride a dragon… more importantly, to get away from this hold. So why did she feel like running into the hills and hiding until the dragons were away?

"So sorry, did I trip over you? I didn't see you." Kelsey jerked awake as her second older sister Maril gave her a hard nudge and an acid smile. Maril walked past with a smirk. Kelsey stood up, noted that the baths were still full of girls, and headed for bed. I'll wash in the morning, when the water hasn't been poisoned by all of their inflated egos, she thought. With that, she dove under the warm furs and fell asleep.

Kelsey woke before any of the other girls the next morning. This time, when she made it to the bathing room, it was thankfully empty. Kelsey gratefully slipped into the warm water and gave herself a through scrubbing, forcing the sweetsand into her arms and legs. She had just made it back to her cubical again, when she heard stones rattling on the ridge. Drawing back the curtain a bit, she peered out. Shells, it was the search dragon! No, make that dragons. As she looked a blue and a brown landed behind the original bronze. She looked at the brown carefully. It had better not be… oh, blast the egg, it was Sementh! He'd know she was here. But would he tell his rider? He had told her he wouldn't, and that was as good as gold. Kelsey strained her mind, seeing if she could still hear the other dragons. It was doubtful, but maybe… Slowly but surely something came through.

_…haven't found anyone, and this is the last stop! M'ki says it's going to be impossible. _

_Ticth, your rider thinks everything is impossible. _

_Sementh has a point, he does. _

_Thank you, Rarth. I believe I have several, mainly in the form of talons…_

_Shut up Sementh. What were you saying, Rarth?_

_Which brings us back to our original problem. Where on Pern are we going to find a suitable candidate? _

_I think I know. _

_Where? Sementh, come on, spill. We need one!_

Kelsey gasped at that moment. _Don't tell Sementh, please!_ she called instinctively. She could almost feel the dragon's startled thought of surprise, and then it faded and was schooled into normalcy.

_But she doesn't want me to tell. Sorry. I gave my word._ With that, Sementh lay down and promptly feigned sleep. Kelsey gave a sigh of relief. No matter how much she loved dragons, yes even wanted to impress one, she wouldn't go out in public to prove it.

_Why not?_ Kelsey stopped in surprise.

_Sementh?_

_Who else?_ The dragon sounded slightly amused.

_I… sorry. Just wasn't expecting a response. I didn't know you could hear me._

_When you called out, you made a connection. You never bothered to block me out again, so of course I could hear you. Now. Why don't you want to be searched? _Kelsey stopped a moment and stared out the window at him.

_I'm not sure. I'm just scared, I guess._

_Of what?_ Sementh's tone was gentler now.

_I… I don't know, _she stammered, tears beginning to fill her eyes.

_Is if of failing?_ His question stopped her short. Her silence gave him all the answer he needed. _Kelsey. Failing is not the end of life. It is the beginning. You never know what you were made for unless you try everything to find the answer. I do not know if you will impress or not. But what I do know is that you will forever regret it if you do not at least try. Promise me that if T'sal comes and talks to you, you will at least try?_

Buoyed by Sementh's words, she nodded quietly. _Alright_.

Meanwhile, T'sal, F'ril, and M'ki had headed inside the hold. M'ki addressed the holder formally.

" Holder Armez, Fort Weyr requests hospitality on their search for a queen candidate. I am the bronze rider M'ki, this is the brown rider T'sal, and the blue rider F'ril."

"Greetings dragon riders." The tall, wiry holder bowed in respect, although T'sal caught a sense of restraint to his movement. "My hold is honored by your presence. Kirth has layed another golden egg?" M'ki quietly ignored the stress on the fact that not a turn ago Krith had layed a golden egg.

"Indeed she has, Holder Armez. And we are in need of suitable female candidates to present to the new queen."

"You will have no lack of willing women in this hold." Armez replied. Armez's hold might be willing, but to T'sal, it seemed as though Armez was less then willing.

"The Weyr thanks you for your hospitality, Holder Armez." With a sweeping gesture, the holder welcomed them into his hold.

"This way, my lord bronze rider."

Several hours and many females later, T'sal ran a weary hand through his mop of black hair. None of the girls he had met were good candidates for Weyrwomen. Oh, for sure M'ki had charmed a few of them, no doubt they would accompany him back to the Weyr as his women, but none that even began to meet the standard of a Weyrwoman. Sementh, who was about as good a search partner as any man could ask for, hadn't so much as batted an eye at any of the girls. And yet… And yet something was here, in this hold. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something here, someone, he should say. Sementh was no help, every time T'sal asked him if there was someone here, T'sal would get either silence or a non answer.

"Blast the shell!" If only, if only he could figure this out! This was not a typical search. Six holds and not a single candidate. Ah, well, at least there would be a good dinner tonight. He watched the others disappear around a corner. M'ki had let him off the hook for charming the girls once he had told him about his feeling that there was still someone here. M'ki had ridden Search with T'sal before and knew that the brown rider's intuition was nearly always right.

Kelsey, on the other hand, had seen them come to meet the girls and was currently still hiding in her cubical. She knew that her uncle Armez wouldn't even think to check to see if they had seen her. Despite agreeing to Sementh's request that she at least hear T'sal out, she wasn't about to make an appearance if it wasn't necessary. Let him find her. If he could. Hearing the footsteps pass, Kelsey took a calculated risk and slid her door open and stepped out. Because T'sal had stopped around the corner, she couldn't see him, but if she went the right way he could see her. Kelsey, of course, was totally oblivious to this, and proceeded to creep down the corridor. Making a run for the hills didn't sound so bad right now.

Out of the corner of his eye T'sal caught a movement. Peering around the corner, he saw a young girl he hadn't met yet. She saw him and started toward a low door to the outside.

"No, wait!" T'sal called. The girl froze, reluctantly. She gave him a frightened glance. T'sal came towards her.

"What's your name?" he asked. The girl cleared her throat nervously.

"Kelsey" she said. T'sal gave her a long look.

"Is there a place where we can talk?" he asked her in a comforting voice. Kelsey nodded and gestured towards a door. Going inside, he found himself in a cubical. She made a motion for him to sit on a chair and he did. She sat down on the bed, looking ill at ease.

"I don't believe I've ever seen you before" he commented.

"No, I guess you haven't" she said hesitantly. T'sal studied her carefully. While her expression and whole attitude screamed of a nervous young girl who simply didn't want to be talking to him, there was something else. Just the fact that she didn't seem to want to talk to him made him curious. The rest of the girls had been clamoring to talk to him and here she was obviously trying not to. He caught her eyes. T'sal jumped. Her eyes didn't have a scared expression in them, but a stubborn, willful expression. And hiding behind all that, strength. Did she know she had it? A look of strength wasn't something he saw very often. This was new.

"Why didn't you come with the other girls?" he asked, curiously.

"Because I am the youngest." The tilt of her head seemed to say "what of it?"

"And that makes a difference, because?" He noticed that there was less fear in her and more stubborn defiance.

"No one cares about the youngest."

_Now, who does that sound like_? Sementh commented sarcastically. Kelsey fought to keep a grin off her face. T'sal mentally smacked his dragon. He himself had been the youngest in a hold, though fortunately a hold that was searched often.

"Well I do. You have something, m'dear. I can't put my finger on it, but it's there." Something told him that this was the person that he was looking for. But he needed dragonic opinion before he decided. To make her more at ease, he asked Sementh out loud.

"Sementh, what do you think?" As he asked, T'sal saw Kelsey's head turn slightly in the direction of the ridge where Sementh was, as if she was waiting for Sementh's answer. Little did he know that's exactly what she was doing.

_I feel a sense of power in her. If chosen, she will lead well. She is not easily influenced by the thoughts of others, and can stand on her own strength. She will do well. _

Kelsey was mentally stunned. Strength? Power? What was this crazy dragon talking about? And yet… and yet…

Smiling, T'sal turned to Kelsey.

"Sementh says the thinks you will do well. Will you do Fort the honor of being a queen egg candidate?" he asked. Kelsey seemed to think hard for a moment before she answered. Thoughts whirring in her head, her eyes locked with his, and, with an odd note of triumph, said simply,

"Yes."


	2. Chapter 2

****I don't own Pern or any of the characters that come from the Anne McCaffery stories. The other characters are of my creation though, and I'd appreciate it if you would ask permission before using them.****

This is a story I've been working on for a long time, but I only recently found out that FanFiction existed. Guess I just found out what to do with the story!

An hour later, she found herself trying desperately to keep up with T'sal's stride as they headed for the ridge where Sementh waited for them. As they approached the great brown, Kelsey hesitated and turned around. She stared back at her hold, her old home. The place was deserted. No one had stayed to watch her leave. Not a soul. She bit back a cry. _No one even cares!_ She moaned in her head.

_I do._ Kelsey tried to not let the surprise show on her face. Without turning around, she responded.

_Sementh. I've lived there my whole life, and when I leave, no one even honors me by watching. No one cares that I'm leaving. I swear my mother was practically ecstatic that I was leaving, she was far happier then she should have been. She wasn't sad at all. Not a single tear, not a single "I love you." Or "I'll miss you." Nothing. Just, "that's great honey, you'd better go pack." Kelsey let a single tear slide down her cheek. I hate them. I hate them all!! _

_Look back. Now. Please._ Kelsey obediently looked back. There. In one of the windows, and single face peered out. Even though she couldn't make out the features, she knew that it was one of her younger cousins, Jarua. She was only five, but loved Kelsey to bits. She was the only soul in the whole place who was happy to see her, no matter what happened. Kelsey strained her eyes toward Jarua, and gulped back a sob. Jarua was crying. Without hesitation, Kelsey threw her pack to the ground and went tearing back toward the hold. T'sal whipped around and watched her flight.

_Sementh, what the…_ He asked.

_Let_ _her say goodbye. You saw how no one else cared. There is the one person who did._ T'sal watched as the young girl came flying out of the doorway and into Kelsey's arms, wondering all the while how his dragon had come to this knowledge. The two spun around, tears flying in the wind they created. _She was like a mother to her._ Sementh said softly. Two voices came floating back on the wind to him.

"Esly! Esly! Don't go! Don't!" T'sal saw Kelsey gently set the young girl on the ground and kneel down to her height.

"Jara, I have to."

"uh hn. No."

"Jara, please. I don't belong here anymore."

"Yes you do."

"Jara, Aunt Marna was happy to see me go. Please hun, can't you understand? I'm needed where I'm going. Here? I'm not needed. By anyone."

"but… but… but I need you." Kelsey stared deep into Jarua's eyes, startled and yet grateful for the remark.

"Jara. Jara, oh, my sweet little Jara…" Kelsey trailed off as Jarua launched herself into her arms again. T'sal felt tears coming to his eyes.

"JARUA!" A high pitched scream shattered the moment. "JARUA, COME BACK HERE! How many times have I told you, I do not want you with HER!" Kelsey and Jarua paused as they stared toward the entrance to the cave. "JA-RU-A. GET. IN HERE."

"You'd better go." Kelsey murmured.

"But, but…." Jarua stammered.

"Jara. If I can, I will come back for you. Someday. I promise."

"Promise? Really promise??"

"Yes, I really promise. Go!" And with tears still flowing down her face, Jarua turned and ran back to the cave, where a strong arm promptly snatched her into the shadows. Kelsey turned, tears still sliding down her face, and retraced her steps toward T'sal and Sementh. She got to where she had thrown her pack, and gently reached down to grab it, wiping the tears from her face as she did. She did not look back again as she stood up, and with a new look of purpose on her face, strode over to the waiting pair.

"I am sorry, my lord brown rider. Please forgive me."

"Are you alright?" T'sal asked. He was deeply concerned for her.

"I'll be fine. Just, please. Get me out of here." The last comment was almost a cry from the heart, and T'sal knew it."

"Alright. Now, have you ever ridden dragonback before?" Kelsey gave him a look that clearly said who are you kidding? "Ok then. Watch what I do and follow my lead." T'sal promptly stepped on Sementh's bent forearm and grabbing the riding straps, practically walked up Sementh's side before settling in between two of the neck ridges. Kelsey hesitated.

"Oh, sorry. Sementh, could you lower your foot a little? That's better." T'sal grinned down at her. "He forgets not everyone is as tall as me."

_I did not forget._ T'sal smiled at the comment, and Kelsey worked to keep an expressionless face. For some reason, she was loath to tell T'sal that she could hear every word that Sementh was saying. So, instead, she grabbed the straps and copied what T'sal had just done, and he helped her get settled right in front of him. Excitement gripped her as she felt Sementh lower himself into a semi crouch, muscles tensed and ready to spring.

"GO!" T'sal yelped with a wild laugh. And in a single, fluid motion, they were airborn. Kelsey rocked with the rhymic strokes of Sementh's wings and he fought to get airborn. Within only a few seconds, they were soaring high above the hold. Kelsey's heart was beating fast, but with pure delight. The world was so much more beautiful from up here! The fields spread out like patchwork, glimmering streams like silver threads winding through them. She sighed in delight.

T'sal was impressed. Kelsey had shown no signs of fear, either before they took off, or after. Her face had a glow on it that had nothing to do with the cold wind beating it. There was not doubt, she was a natural to this.

_Between?_ T'sal asked Sementh.

Not _yet. Let her enjoy it for a little while longer. Can't you see her face?_ T'sal smiled. He could see her face.

_Alright, but only a little longer, I forget when the eggs are supposed to be hatching, and this is one we cannot miss! _

_Well said._ Give her the warning; I'm going in a minute.

"Kelsey?" She turned her face back to look at T'sal. "We're going between in a moment. Now, I know you know what it is, but you've never been there. It's cold and it's dark, and you won't be able to feel or hear anything. But it will only take three counts, and we'll be out. Ok?"

A flicker of nervousness showed on here face, but it was quickly replaced with wonder. "Alright." She said, calmly.

"Three…" T'sal started counting down. "Two…" He felt her hands tighten on his. "ONE!"

Light disappeared. There was no sight, no smell, no touch, no hearing. Nothing. An awful nothingness. Kelsey bit back the urge to scream. The absolute blackness pressed in, kept coming, until…

"There!" Light, sound, feeling all returned with T'sal's yell. Kelsey sighed with relief. Between was just a felt as though she was just floating in that awful void.

_Is it always like that?_ She asked Sementh.

_Yes, but you do get used to it. You should have seen T'sal on our first flight between!_ Kelsey held back a giggle at Sementh's response. _Look._ He said. _Look down._ And she did.

The huge bowl of Fort was spread out beneath her. It was massive, a long, oval valley sunk into the mountains. On every side, dragons were sleeping on ledges in front of holes so numerous that Kelsey doubted that they could be counted. The yawning black hole that led to the hatching ground was off to one side. People scurried around the bottom, all apparently on important missions, but looking, from this height, not unlike ants. A bulge from her left startled her and she nearly jumped. A green dragon spread her wings from the heights below where she stood watch and bulged again. Kelsey felt a rumble and then Sementh let forth a bulge that nearly deafened her.

"Relax. Sementh's just letting Kristh know who he is." T'sal said calmly. Sementh dove off into a spiral and drifted toward on of the caves in the rock. His giant wings began to work to slow them down as his hind legs grappled to find purchase on the scored ledge. Kelsey felt the wings beat one last time before Sementh folded them and relaxed.

"Alright, c'mon, just follow me" T'sal said reassuringly, and he easily slid down Sementh's neck and onto the ledge. Kelsey followed suit, and then followed T'sal into the yawing mouth of the weyr.

_Eggs are hatching today?!_ Sementh's comment nearly stopped her in her tracks, it did to T'sal.

"What?" he blurted out.

_Eggs are hatching today. _

"What's going on?" Kelsey asked, trying to keep the bewildered tone to her voice.

"That was a stroke of luck, finding you today! Eggs are hatching. Today!" Kelsey heard the exhalent ring to his voice. "Bloody good luck I found you when I did, we almost missed it! I've been on search too long to know what's going on here anymore."

T'sal made a face as he walked into the living quarters. Behind them, Sementh snorted, sending dust flying.

_Yes, we have been away too long he commented dryly._ T'sal broke out laughing. Kelsey had to once again work hard to keep a smile off her own face.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Oh, just Sementh" T'sal explained, in between spurts of laughter. "He saw the dust and commented that indeed we had been away too long." Kelsey giggled. T'sal grinned broadly at her.

"Well, at least you have a sense of humor! Most queen candidates don't even have that!" As T'sal spoke, Kelsey lowered her eyes and blushed. T'sal stared at her, with a grin. "What? No one's ever told you that before?" he asked.

"Not exactly" Kelsey replied. She sighed. T'sal, however, smiled.

"Well, no worries. You're a queen candidate now, and that gives you more prestige than any of your sisters. Now, are you hungry?" he asked. Kelsey at first shook her head, not wanting to make a nuisance of herself, but her stomach spoke for itself. She blushed.

"Kelsey!" T'sal groaned. "I'm getting us food. Now while I'm gone, see that white robe hanging over there?" He gestured towards a rack, where, among other things, a white robe hung. Kelsey nodded. "Ok, put that on, that's an impression robe. Since everyone is fairly certain hatching is today, you'd better be prepared. Now I'll be just a sec." And with that, T'sal disappeared into another room. Kelsey hastily shucked off her clothes and pulled the linen impression robe over her head. It fell heavily around her ankles and felt slightly worn in places. That done, Kelsey sat down to wait for T'sal to return. She could see out the entrance of the cavern that she was presently in, into Sementh's sleeping quarters. Sementh was curled up, but his eyes were bright, and he was looking off into the distance. Kelsey decided to try to hear what he was hearing. Slowly, voices began to fill her head.

_Sementh told me that there are now eight queen candidates._

_Really? Where'd they find the eighth one? _

_Gar Hold. _

_Where on Pern is that?_

_Well, in Fort territory, that's for sure. _

_Thank you Ticth, Mr. Sarcastic. _

_No problem. _

_Anyway, is she any good?_

_Sementh seems to think so. A good dragon, Sementh. _

_Kristh, you've always been sweet on Sementh. _

_I may be a green but I know a good dragon when I see one. _

_Yeah, but you don't know a good wherry when you see one!_

_Ticth, you insensitive soul, I like heard beasts, not wherry. Ugh, how you can eat oversized birds is beyond me. _

_How you actually like a brown..._

_Shells Ticth, shut up! Sementh's voice spoke up. Honestly, she can like whoever and whatever she pleases. I notice you don't eat the succulent fish that Tillek sends in. _

_Yeah, Ticth, don't like the little fishies?_

_Shut it both of you! I don't like fish!_

_And I don't like wherrys. End of story. By the way, thanks Sementh! _

_No problem. _

"Large, isn't he?" Kelsey nearly jumped a mile as she turned around to see T'sal beside her. "Don't worry about it, I guess you haven't seen too many have you? But anyway, here's dinner, or lunch, I don't really know which." He gestured to the table that was now food laden. "Eat up, and don't worry about being polite, I never am, am I dearest Sementh?"

_ I don't think you know the meaning of the word 'polite'_ the dragon commented. T'sal broke out laughing.

"He said I don't know the meaning of the word 'polite'" T'sal cracked. Kelsey smiled hesitantly, not sure if she could laugh at that or if it wouldn't be polite. T'sal got over laughing, and proceeded to start stuffing his face. Kelsey, seeing that he really did mean what he said, snagged some bread and proceeded to eat hungrily. T'sal started telling her bits of useful information between bites.

"Now you're at a bit of a disadvantage because the rest of the queen candidates have already been on the hatching ground and touched the egg several times. Not that we're" he paused to take another bite, " sure that touching it does anything, but it sure doesn't hurt. I think it mainly helps the candidates get over the fear" here he paused again, "of the eggs. They are huge! And so, respectively, are the hatchlings. Just don't show fear. That's the key!" T'sal gulped down half a glass of Benden wine as Kelsey sat and attempted to absorb all the information. In the ensuing silence, she was aware of a slight thrumming. It seemed to be growing louder, but slowly.

"T'sal, what's that?" she asked. T'sal sat very still for a second, before letting out a loud whoop.

"Hatching!"


	3. Impression

**I don't own Pern or any of the characters that come from the Anne McCaffery stories. The other characters are of my creation though, and I'd appreciate it if you would ask permission before using them.**

My apologies friends, I'm a graphic design major in college right now, and getting free time to update this story has been like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I'll try to do better!

"Hatching!" T'sal yelled in response to Kelsey's bewildered look. Sementh poked his head in the cavern, eyes whirring with excitement. "Yes I know, you nut of a brown! C'mon Kelsey!" And with that, Kelsey found herself running behind T'sal, valiantly attempting to not trip on her robe, out to the ledge where Sementh now stood waiting, his eyes brilliant.

_Let's go! Let's go!_ He was saying. T'sal gave her a boost onto Sementh's back, and then swung up himself. As soon as he was on, he urged Sementh to the sky. Kelsey clutched wildly at Sementh as he dropped off the ledge and soared across the Weyr bowl. Unerringly, he headed toward the huge opening in the cliff, where it seemed everyone was headed. Kelsey heard Sementh warn off a blue as he took his turn soaring through the hole. There was only darkness for a few seconds, with the sounds of dragon's wings echoing eerily in the close space. Then they broke out into an immense cavern. Kelsey gasped. Ledges took up most of the sidewalls, and on them perched all the Fort dragons, and many dragons from other Weyrs. On the sands, the entire clutch was rocking, and Kirth, whose eyes shone and sparkled as they whirled at a ferocious rate, guarded the golden queen egg. Sementh swiftly dropped to the ground near the queen. Kelsey slid off as Sementh straightened up.

"Good luck!" T'sal called as he and Sementh soared away to one of the many ledges.

"Good luck? She murmured softly to herself. "I'll need more then that, I think." And with that, she walked slowly toward the enormous queen egg. It was only then that she noticed the small knot of girls surrounding the egg, dressed in the same robes as she herself was, and all rather dwarfed by the egg. Kelsey couldn't help smiling. For once, it appeared that she was in fashion! One girl turned, and gestured for Kelsey to come into the semi circle. Kelsey quickened her pace, both out of gratitude toward the girl, and because of the hot sands underfoot. She quickly slipped into her place.

"Thank you." She said softly to the girl who had gestured for her.

"It was nothing."

"I wish you luck." Kelsey murmured back.

"And I you."

The egg, which had be rocking as she first approached it, began to rock more violently now, and Kelsey vaguely noted that the thrumming was getting louder as well. With a start, she realized that the thrumming was not from the eggs, but from the adult dragons! A large crack brought her attention back to the golden egg before her. But that didn't stop her from hearing the various cracks and pops as the other eggs behind her hatched.

All at once, in a flurry of shell shards, the little queen emerged. She was already up to Kelsey's chest, or higher! Kelsey almost took a step back, but managed to remember just in time not to show fear. No fear, no fear. She thought. The dragonet lashed her tail around, her wedge shaped head taking in the girls while her body shook violently to keep her upright. She slowly scrutinized each face. What was she looking for? Most of the girls looked down, or such fear emerged in their faces that the dragonet moved on. Then, she stared into Kelsey's eyes. Kelsey forced herself to stare right back into those hard, red whirring eyes and fought every instinct to run. They held that position for only a few moments, when Kelsey heard a very quiet

_No. Not that one either._ She sighed, almost with relief, as the dragonet moved on. But even as she exhaled, the dragonet's tail came out of nowhere, whacking her in the chest and forcing her to the ground, gasping. All the air had been knocked out of her lungs, and she gulped repeatedly to regain her breath. When she had, she remained kneeling, but turned slowly around to stare at the remaining scene. Most of the eggs from the main clutch were hatching now. Greens, blues, browns, and bronzes were following the same pattern the little queen had, scrutinizing each boy on the Ground. Kelsey gave a quiet sigh. There were some days when she would give anything to be a boy, just to have the chance to Impress a fighting dragon. Oh, the queen was all well and good, but a fighting dragon! She sighed enviously as a brown about five feet in front of her Impressed a tall, lanky boy with fiery red hair. The squeals of those Impressed already blended with the ever-present hum of the adult dragons on the ledges above. As she watched, she began to hear a young voice, calling endlessly for someone. Endlessly, endlessly…

_Are you alright?_ Kelsey nearly jumped. She stood up fast, disregarding the pain in her bruised ribs, and stared, incredulous. A small, dripping blue dragon stood with his wet wings in the sand and eyes whirring in concern. He took a step toward her.

_I'm fine, young one._ She responded instinctively. _Go. Go back out there. There are still boys who have not Impressed. See, there._ She pointed to a knot of them. _There are some. Don't worry yourself with me._

_Why shouldn't I worry myself about you?_ Zemeth asked. Kelsey stared, her mouth beginning to hang open.

_How do I know your name? _

_ Why shouldn't you know my name?_ And the implication of his statement began to sink in to Kelsey's heart.

_Zemeth, Zemeth, no. You, just, you can't! It has to be a boy! It just has to!_

_ Why? Why does it have to? You don't, don't you love me? _ At the plaintive cry in his voice Kelsey knelt down and softly stroked his eye ridges.

_Of course I love you._

_Now and for always?_ Kelsey found herself staring straight into his eyes, and was suddenly enveloped in the rainbow colors shining in them. No hardness or callousness, just pure and undying love, for her, and her only. To his partner, his friend, his girl.

_Now and for always._ Kelsey murmured softly. _Now and for always._ And with that, she threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him tight, his thrumming increasing the tighter her hold got, and his small, fragile wings attempting to echo the embrace.

It was only when she finally looked up that she noticed every eye in the Hatching Ground was upon her.

"Oh, shells." She muttered. She felt Zemeth stiffen as he, too, caught the stares of everyone. She very slowly turned, and stared at the two Weyrleaders. The man stared back. The women gave her a raking look before turning to her weyrmate. They seemed to be conferring about her and Zemeth.

_What now?_ Zemeth asked.

_I don't honestly know. _ She replied. The man turned around to face them.

"This is highly unusual, for a women to get chosen over a man. However…" He held up his hand to stop the muttering that had begun in the stands. "However, we have never questioned a dragonic choice before, and we shall not be starting now. What is your name?" He was looking straight at Kelsey.

"Kelsey, formerly of Gar Hold." She responded. She stared back at him from across the stands, wondering what was going to happen next.

"Well, K'sey, of Fort Weyr, what's his name?" And Kelsey was so stunned for a moment that she almost forgot to answer. K'sey! Why, the shortening of the name was only reserved for dragonriders! And of Fort Weyr! She would never, ever have to go back to Gar now! She was so overcome with emotion that she hid her face for a moment, before Zemeth nudged her in reminder of the Weyrleader's question.

"Zemeth! His name is Zemeth!" She called to the waiting crowds triumphantly. Immediately, a bulge from a brown dragon shook the ground, followed by the bulges of many of the other dragons. Simultaneously, she heard Sementh in her head.

_T'sal says that wasn't exactly what he had in mind for you, but he couldn't be prouder! And neither could I! _

_ Tell T'sal I didn't do it on purpose, and thank you!_ With a small nudge, Zemeth let her know that he was still there. K'sey threw her arms around him with a cry of happiness, that was echoed by Zemeth's and Sementh's bulges of joy!

And as the dragons began swooping down to take visitors out of the hatching ground, K'sey and Zemeth paid no attention, so deeply engrossed in each other were they.


	4. Bonds

**I don't own Pern or any of the characters that come from the Anne McCaffery stories. The other characters are of my creation though, and I'd appreciate it if you would ask permission before using them.**

"Hey twerp!" K'sey looked up to a clump of seaweed that came flying at her face. She staggered backwards and lifted a wet hand to wipe the ick out of her eyes.

"What on Pern was that, C'zet?" she hollered across the lake. The weyrlings had their dragons down at the lake for a good bath. The guys seemed to have decided to turn it into forcing K'sey need a bath though.

"What? Can't come up with anything better than that? You're such a girl!" C'zet's taunting smile was followed by the laughter of the other forty odd weyrlings. Zemeth moved his body in front of K'sey and hissed menacingly.

"OHHHH! Did you see that boys?" C'zet called to the group. "The blue seems to think he can stand up to my bronze. How brave of him!" C'zet's bronze Orath was already a head higher than Zemeth, and growing fast. K'sey just bent her head back to scrubbing Zemeth's hide and ignored the taunts.

_Don't let them bother you._

_I'm trying not to Zem… but they are driving me up the walls._

_I know. Just ignore it. What else can you do?_

_Nothing, I guess. See, this is why I have you. You talk sense into me. _Zemeth turned his head to nuzzle her.

_Of course._

"Hey, you need any help?" K'sey looked up, startled. Two of the other weyrlings stood in front of her.

"Nah, I'm alright." she said, fearing another prank by the boys.

"You sure? We've got Teth and Cromoth done already. 'Course we cheated and got some of the weyr kids to help us…" The speaker, a redheaded lanky kid with a cheerful smile turned to the slightly shorter, but stockier sandy haired boy, who gave a rueful grin.

"Tell 'em you have sweets and they'll do anything." The two nodded at each other, and then turned back to K'sey. K'sey cocked her head at the redhead.

"Wait a sec… I think I watched you Impress. Did you Impress a brown?"

"Yes ma'am!" He gave her a slight bow. "Might I introduce you to Cromoth?" as he spoke, a brown moved forward and nodded to K'sey. She smiled back at him.

"Pleased to meet you Cromoth. I am K'sey, and this is Zemeth."

"And I'm B'treli, by the way," the red head added. His grin was rather disarming. K'sey had no choice but to smile back.

"And since my friend here has no brain…" the sandy haired one trailed off while glaring at B'treli, "I'm K'vine, bronze Teth's rider."

"Pleased to meet you as well," K'sey said, and then turned and gave a bow to the bronze who had followed Cromoth up. He bowed back.

"So… back to the original topic. You need help?" B'treli grinned as he asked her. She gave a small sigh and smiled back.

"Yes. That would be welcome."

"Alrighty! One clean dragon on the double!" And with that, the three started to work on getting Zemeth clean, while the brown and the bronze surreptitiously placed themselves in the way of any flying wads of seaweed.

** I know it was short one this time, but I felt like B'treli and K'vine needed their own set up chapter. More coming soon!


	5. Hidden

**K'seyOnce again, i find myself having to apologize for not updating sooner! I had an idea of where I wanted this to go, but it took me so long to figure out a good way to write it. I'm hoping to be able to update sooner now, because I can just keep writing without that road block! So here we are again, back to the story….**

**** I don't own Pern or any of the things in it. The characters are, however, totally and completely mine. Especially Zemeth. ****

_Wake up, something's wrong._ K'sey sleepily stirred from her furs in the response to Zemeth's comment. She looked in the direction that he was looking, down the huge tunnel- like weyrling cavern.

_What's up?_ She asked.

_I_ _don't know. There is no one here but us!_ Looking and listening again, K'sey realized that he was right. The huge cavern was completely empty, the moonlight shining on empty beds and couches, and also devoid of the usual chorus of snores and breathing.

Where did they go? K'sey wondered.

I don't know! K'sey groaned at the confusion in Zemeth's statement. After taking a swig of klah that she had left on the hearth, K'sey crept out of the cavern with Zemeth to attempt to figure out what was happening. Her footfalls sounded like drumbeats in the absolute silence, and Zemeth's talon's clicking like huge logs slamming together. They reached the moonlit entrance, and K'lsey craned her neck and scanned the bowl for the boys. A group that large couldn't hide for too long, she figured. Above her, the stars winked brightly in the clear sky, and the Dawn Sisters shone above the horizon. Finally, high on Fort's ridge, she spotted the unmistakable outlines of dragons, and small ones at that.

_Alright, should we go up there and chew them out?_

_ No, do you want them to hate us anymore then they already do?_

_ Right. Point. That's why I keep you around!_

_ One reason's better then none!_ The dragon retorted. K'sey smiled softly.

_Well, then I'm asking Teth or Cromoth what's going on. _

_ I don't think you want to do that_ Zemeth replied. Puzzled by Zemeth's odd comment, for he was usually all for finding out what was going on, K'sey turned back to him.

_What was that suppose to mean?_

_ They're talking about you, and it's not good_ he responded glumly.

"Shards!" K'sey muttered.

_Teth, Cromoth_? she called softly in her mind.

_I'm here_ Teth responded.

_Teth, what on Pern is going on up there? It's early morning! What are you guys doing? _K'sey asked.

_Well... you don't want to know. _

_ Yes I do!_ K'sey said with such fervency that Teth nearly lost the nonchalant look that he had been keeping. He was silent for a moment and then called softly,

_K'vine and B'treli say to meet them on the Star Stones. The meeting is over and they'll tell you everything. _

_ Shards, I have to climb those stairs, don't I?_ K'sey exclaimed.

_Well, I'm sor-ry I'm not big enough to fly you up there!_ Zemeth replied with a sarcastic tone.

_I'll live Zem. And Teth? Meet you up there as soon as the rest of the boys disappear. _

_ Will do_ Teth replied. K'sey hid in the shadows of the Weyr bowl as the boys headed for the weyrling barracks. Then she bolted for the stairs to the Star Stones before the watch dragon saw them. Zemeth followed behind, ducking to keep in the shadows. K'sey labored to the top, and finally, and also completely out of breath, slipped behind the eye rock. Two pairs of dragon's eyes stared at her, and one of two shadowy figures uncovered a glow.

"K'sey, my dearly hated friend!" it said.

"B'treli, my impossible cohort, what fascinating bit of information has brought us to this place?" K'sey asked sarcastically.

"Well, M'lady," began the second figure, "there are those who wish to do unsavory things to your dragonrideress."

"K'vine, my lord bronze rider, pray tell what they are planning" K'sey responded, keeping up the sarcastic politeness they had all adopted. B'treli however, broke it.

"They all hate you!" he blurted out.

"Thank you cap'n obvious" K'sey retorted.

"Seriously Kes," K'vine said earnestly, "they are all really mad at you. The reason, well, besides you being a girl…" Chuckles from the humans and mental laughter from the dragons ensued.

"Anyway," K'vine continued, "C'zet is the ringleader, you know, bronze Orath's rider? How he was chosen for a bronze is beyond me, but still, he's making the rest hate you."

"Do tell" K'sey commented dryly.

"We… we don't know why. C'zet seems to have this ferocious hatred of you. He kept going on and on about what his father said would happen if a woman ever got into the weyr…"

"Wait. Who's his father?"

"Dennal of Bitra." K'vine looked at K'lsey with surprise when he saw the flash of anger in her eyes.

"Dennal's son. I should have guessed." She spat.

"Um, confused brown rider over here. You hate Dennal because…?" B'treli looked hopelessly at his two companions.

"Dennal. Dennal is the reason I was forced to come and live at Gar. Dennal is the reason I have no father or mother. If it wasn't for Dennal…" She trailed off. K'vine and B'treli shot confused looks at each other.

"Alright" K'sey said, her tone slightly resigned. "But, um… what are they plotting?"

K'vine sighed. "We're not sure."

"What is that suppose to mean? You guys were up here with them! You heard everything!" K'vine looked down from K'lsey's eyes. He gave a long sigh.

"We were there and we weren't there. They didn't invite us. We saw they were all gone and went to go find them. When we got there, they had their dragons block us out. We only know what Cromoth and Teth were able to pick up in pits and pieces."

"So I have over 40 guys plotting against me, the only two who are remotely able to infiltrate the group have no idea what's going on, and I've only been here ten days."

"Pretty much." B'treli muttered. They were silent for a moment as the light breeze wafted around them.

"Just do me a favor and watch your back, alright?" All three weyrlings jumped as another voice spoke out of the darkness, and a pair of older dragon eyes suddenly shone off to their left.

"T'SAL! What on Pern are you doing? You nearly scared me half to death!" K'lsey yelped at the new figure. B'treli flashed the glow on the figure, revealing the smiling face of the brownrider.

"Sorry, but you guys leave me no way to break into a conversation.

_ And you need to learn to pay attention to your surroundings. I knocked a rock over about a minute ago._

_ Cromoth, could you pick a worse time to teach me listening skills?_

_ Yes. While you're asleep comes to mind. _

_ Oh hush. _K'sey quickly turned her attention back to T'sal, who was watching her with a slightly confused expression, but he quickly shook it off.

"Seriously though, K'ls, listen to me. You have got to watch yourself. Sementh's been picking up an undercurrent of malice in the weyr. Against you. Not everyone, but he's been feeling it strongly from the weyrlings. I doubt they'll try anything, you are a dragonrider, even if you are a girl. But I wouldn't be too careful."

_Sementh, is that true?_ K'lsey whispered to the looming brown. Her eyes caught the glowlight, they were strangely calm, yet Zemeth caught the fear that she was keeping inside.

_Yes._ The brown was resigned to answer. For the first time since arriving at the Weyr, a small spark of fear jumped into K'lsey's chest. She swallowed quietly, trying to keep it under control.

"I will be" she forced herself to say out loud. T'sal put a hand on her shoulder.

"Call me if anything, and I mean anything, seems amiss. Even if it's in the middle of the night. Have Zemeth call to Sementh. He'll answer." T'sal turned to the two boys. "Keep an eye out for her, would you? Three sets of eyes are better then one."

_Six._ Zemeth and Cromoth said together. _We will watch too. Nothing can happen if we are all watching._

_I agree. We will all watch._ Teth finished. After the exchange was passed to T'sal by Sementh, he smiled wearily.

"Not even two sevendays old and already smarter then many older dragons" he commented softly. Looking at the younger kids, he made a half bow. "My duty to your dragons, my friends. I must go to sleep now if I want to stay on Sementh during sweep tomorrow morning." The three all made half bows back at him and stepped back as he mounted lightly and Sementh gave a gentle leap off the ledge and into the darkness.

After a long and exhausting walk back down, the trio slipped back into the weyrling cavern, now full with the customary sleeping bodies. On the hearth, K'lsey's klah was still standing, along with the boys mugs. They gratefully drained the still warm liquid and sighed deeply.

"G'nite" whispered B'treli. "Call if you need me".

"Same here" K'vine said sleepily.

"Will do. Night boys." K'lsey muttered before joining Zemeth in the corner they had claimed. A single thought of hesitation for sleeping near the other werylings flitted across her mind, but sleepiness quickly overwhelmed it, and she and Zemeth lapsed into unconsciousness.


	6. Darkness

**And another chapter! Welcome back to the world of my mind on Pern, I hope you all are enjoying it. Back to the story! **

**** I don't own any of Pern or the things and places in it. The people and dragons, however, at totally and completely mine. Especially Zemeth.****

A small scrap of hide was crushed beyond recognition in K'sey's hot hand. She peered out the entrance to the wearying cavern, and breathed a sigh of relief when the dark Bowl proved clear. Not even here two sevendays yet and already this was her second time sneaking out after dark.

_Where are we going again?_ Zemeth breathed behind her.

_C'zet. His note said he wanted to make up… or something._

_ And you believe him?_

_ I did see the Weyrling Master speaking with him earlier, Teth seemed to believe it was about me._

_ Are you sure?_

_ No… but what else do you make of this note?_

_ Remember what K'vine and B'treli said. Something is wrong._ Zemeth had gotten a length in front of her and now stood, blocking her path. She sighed.

_What if this is real though?_

_ If it is, why can he not do it in the daylight?_

_ Oh shells, I don't know. Zem, I'd like to believe the world has some good left in it. _

_ And I too. But I do not trust Oarth's rider._ K'sey looked at him in surprise. Dragons, especially Zemeth, usually referred to other riders by name. But to not refer to a bronze rider from his Hatching… She shrugged.

_Zem, I have you. And Teth, Cromoth, and Sementh if need be. We'll be fine._

_ Alright then. _ Zemeth stepped aside and they continued walking towards one of the empty weyrs around the more deserted edge of the Bowl, but his eyes were starting to whir just a little bit faster. It took her a moment to climb the three flights of steps, but when she did, she caught her breath and then called out softly.

"C'zet?" A figure appeared out of the yawning darkness of the weyr.

"Good evening Blue rider." His voice had a chill to it that made K'sey shudder a little, but being herself, she refused to believe anything was amiss.

"Good evening to you as well, Bronze rider. And may I convey my duty to your Orath? He is growing into a fine young beast."

_I thank you._ Orath, at least, sounded slightly flattered. C'zet did not seem to be affected by her praise.

"Blue Rider, we have something to discuss. Something of importance to this weyr." His words were clipped and short. A jolt of fear ran through K'sey's body for a moment, but she forced herself to answer calmly.

"Of course. What is that?"

"I am a BRONZE rider. You will say "sir" when addressing me. Understood?" C'zet's quick outburst stung K'sey. The weyrlings usually ignored title and rank. She stiffened, and felt Zemeth place his shoulder under her hand.

"Yes… sir. What is it we need to discuss?"

"You." C'zet's menacing voice cut through the darkness, and was met by hollow, eerily distorted laughter from within the cavern. Other weyrlings began coming out of the cavern, the minute light of the stars giving their grins a wicked expression.

"What… what are you talking about?" She instinctively took a step backwards, and realized in despair she was dangerously close to the edge of the scored ledge, and the boys had blocked the stairs. Their dragons were following them out now, talons extended and tongues flickering in the reddish orange of their eyes. Zemeth instinctively hissed at them, eyes now starting to take on a sick yellow lavender color of fear and stress.

"What we are talking about, blue rider, is your mistake on the hatching ground two sevendays ago. Girls do not impress blues. Especially little hold bred brats like you. You don't deserve and inch of that stupid dragon who looks to you." C'zet punctuated his statement by quickly spitting at K'sey.

And then it happened. Zemeth, reacting to the surges of anger K'sey was unknowingly throwing out, sprang up at C'zet. In the same moment, K'sey's struck out at C'zet, and missed. The other weyrling dragons were making horrible noise now, as she found her wrist caught by C'zet, and then a massive fist caught her in the stomach. Something cracked and it sounded like a gunshot as it echoed around the silent weyr. She was barely able to make out the other dragons forcing Zemeth back to the edge after his attempt on C'zet.

Another fist collided with her cheek, and another with her side. She stumbled back in pain, her mind desperately trying to reach any of the werylings to get them to stop this! But none responded, they had closed their minds to her.

_Zemeth? _ Her strained entreaty was answered by frustration and agony from her partner.

_I cannot get to you! _His image showed rows of talon and teeth in a semi circle only a foot away from him.. He was surrounded.

K'sey collapsed on her knees, mere inches from the edge. _ Cromoth… Teth… Sementh… anyone…_ Her plea was dripping in pain and fear. A hand roughly forced her head up and C'zet's flashing black eyes bore into her.

"You. Are. Not. Welcome. Here." He hissed out the words, and then shoved.

_ZEM-ETHHHHH! _ K'sey clawed desperately at the edge of the rock before she felt her fingers give way. Zemeth turned, and somehow made an incredible leap over the other dragons and shot one claw after her as he dove. K'sey screamed as his talons dug into her flesh, and Zemeth snapped his wings out to try and stop their fall. But he was too young, much too young, and the sudden weight on the wings caused his muscles to tear and a few somethings to snap. His scream of agony rent the heavens as they fell. K'sey closed her eyes and gave them up for lost as the ground rushed closer. But the crash never came. She felt herself thud into living breathing flesh that then dropped fast to the earth. The jarring as they landed made her eyes flash stars and pain overtook her body like she had never known before. There were voices, many voices, yelling and screaming and making and awful racket, and wouldn't they all just go away? Darkness had creeped into her vision and with it a sense of peace. Where there was darkness there was no pain. She found herself willing the darkness to cover her, to get away from the screaming and the pain.

_K'sey. NO. You cannot go. Stay here._ Go? What was that voice talking about? She wasn't going anywhere.

_You are going to if you go to sleep. Stay. You cannot leave Zemeth._

No, she couldn't leave Zemeth. The thought of losing him fought back the darkness a little.

_Zemeth?_

_ I am here. _The voice was filled with so much pain and agony it sent a shock through her heart. _I could not keep us aloft. My wings… my wings hurt bad. They could not hold us. _ K'sey's heart ached for Zemeth and the comfort she could not give him in that moment.

_ You tried. That was so brave of you. You tried, dear heart. _

_ Teth and Cromoth are here with me. They listen. Sementh is trying to talk to you. Listen to him._

_ But I need to be with you!_

_ I have many people around me. Listen to him! You must not go! _

_K'sey, T'sal needs you. Please listen. _ It was Cromoth, it was he who had called her from the dark. She felt hands caressing her and smoothing hair out of her face.

"T'sal…" Had she managed to say that outlaid? A half sob answered her.

"Kes… oh Kes…."

_He cares deeply for you. You remind him of the little sister he lost. Listen to him. _ _You cannot go. _Little sister? What was Sementh saying? She didn't have time to wonder.

"Kes, please."

"I'm… here." Her voice was so raw and laden with pain she almost didn't recognize it. She forced her eyes open to see T'sal crouched next to her, and Sementh wrapped around the pair of them with his body and tail, like a huge impenetrable wall.

"It's going to be alright. Just hang in there girl. Hang in there." T'sal felt a slight pressure on his arm and saw that K'lsey had slightly raised her one hand to rest on his arm. He covered it with his hand and looked down at the bruised face with a smile. His eyes unexpectedly met hers, as she was looking up at him through barely open eyes. The glint of brown flashed there for a moment before she closed them again.

_She says thank you_, Sementh relayed quietly. T'sal squeezed her hand.

"I'm here Kes, I'm with you."

_And so are we._ The quite chorus of draconic voices soothed K'sey's anguish as she lay on the Bowl floor, and for the moment, she was able to rest.

_** Ok, a little abrupt on the ending, I'm sorry. But this chapter could have dragged out forever, and I decided to split it up. More to come soon! *_


	7. Night

**K**My apologies for the atrocious delay everyone. The demands on a graphic design major are horrendous, but I hope that I'll be able to keep this up. Don't worry, I will never abandon this story! It just might take me a while to catch up. Thank you to all who reviewed, please keep them coming! Once again, I don't own Pern or anything in it, except the characters I created.****

An angry bulge filled the air of Ina and G'mar's weyr, nearly deafening the weyrleaders.

_ My son! They DARE to raise a hand against MY SON! _Both the enormous gold and her bronze weyrmate bulged fearfully in unison as their sleep befuddled riders fell out of bed.

_ Lekrith, what's wrong? What's happening?_ G'mar stumbled over to his bronze and stared out into the darkness of the Bowl. Beside him, Ina was desperately trying to calm Ranyth, but to no avail.

_ They are harming Zemeth and his rider! Stop them! We have to stop them!_ G'mar sucked in his breath. That blue and his rider? While questioning Zemeth's choice was unthinkable, G'mar had gotten the feeling that pair was going to be trouble.

_ It is NOT their fault. It is the weyrlings, they are… NO! CATCH THEM! _ G'mar barely had time to dive out of the way as Ranyth suddenly took off, followed by Lekrith. Beside him Ina sucked in a breath and pointed a shaky finger at the scene that was unfolding. Far below them on the other side of the bowl, and single figure had fallen off one of the ledges. An instant later a tiny dragon form shot after the figure, and as his wings snapped out to stop their fall, his scream suddenly filled the air and bounced in eerie waves off the walls.

"LEK…" G'mar didn't even have a chance to get the bronze's full name out, when out of no where a huge dragonic form swooped under the falling pair, caught them, and lowered them to the Bowl floor. Instantly, the dragon curled around them, sealing them off from the rest of the world. Dragonic and human heads were now popping out of every hole in the cliffs, and G'mar was finally able to spot Lekrith and Ranyth gripping the walls around the ledge the figure had fallen from. They seemed to be growling at something, or someone, on it.

_ Lekrith, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?_

_ I do not know. Yet. But I do know that these we have trapped here have something to do with it. _An image of a cavern full of mostly scared weyrlings filled G'mar's mind, and the anger that his life-mate was feeling took over him.

_ HOLD THEM THERE. _He grabbed Ina's hand and began running down the steps to the Bowl floor. _Who is with Zemeth and…_ Shells. What was that girl's name?

_ Sementh stays with them. He will not let her go. Nor will Zemeth and Teth and Cromoth. They all listen. She will stay. Zemeth will stay too, though his wings ache mightily. _

_ Call the healer._

_ Sementh already has. Master Tallie comes, they will both be in good hands. The girl rests now. _G'mar shook his head as he continued to pelt across the Bowl floor.

_ Tell Ranyth to tell all the dragons to STAY IN THIER WEYRS. This will proceed much better without all the confusion. _

_ Should I tell them what happened? _Lekrith sounded confused. _They know something is wrong. K'sey was loud. _G'mar barely had time to wonder at Lekrith's comment when he skidded to a halt in front of Sementh. Ina nodded at him as she caught the meaning in his eyes, and ran for the stairs to where Ranyth was guarding the weyr full of boys.

"Sementh." He stopped short in front of the giant, agitated brown and waited.

_ Yes Weyrleader. You wish to see T'sal and K'sey. _G'mar was startled for a moment, for Sementh rarely talked to anyone outside of his own rider. But a single touch on Lekrith's mind showed that the bronze was in no state to be relaying messages.

_ I do. May I?_

_ Of course._ The brown unfolded his wingsfrom their protective tent around the fallen pair. G'mar was unprepared for the sight that awaited him. Zemeth lay sprawled on the ground next to Sementh, completely wing-limp and unquestionably in pain. His head was touching K'sey's hand as she lay very still, tiny sobs shaking her body. T'sal was kneeling next to her, stroking her hair and trying to keep her calm. G'mar jumped when Sementh gently nudged his back.

_ Go Weyrleader. It will not be intruding. _

"T'sal?" G'mar's question held everything about that night in one word. T'sal shook his head for a moment, and G'mar slowly approached the desolate group. He knelt down next to K'sey and gently stroked her one hand while looking her over. Bruises were forming on her face and arms that gave her a mottled appearance in the dim moonlight. A dark stain was spreading on her back from the wounds Zemeth's talons had inflicted when he tried to stop her fall.

"What happened?" He asked quietly. T'sal hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

"I don't honestly know. Sementh… Sementh thought something was wrong all night, he was barely sleeping and whenever I asked, he could only say there were bad vibes in the Weyr tonight." G'mar nodded. Being one of the Search dragons had it's price, they tended to be much more attended to everyone's emotions, causing nights like the one T'sal had just described to occur.

"Did he know something was going to happen?" G'mar asked.

"No… and yes. He was aware that something was happening, but didn't know what until K'sey called him."

"Until… did you just say until K'sey called him?" G'mar turned wondering eyes to T'sal.

"That is what Sementh says happened."

"Is this… has she always been able to do this?" G'mar was astonished by the meaning of this. Someone who could talk to all dragons? Why, this was a dream come true! Why had they not known?!

_ Yes. As long as I have known her. But she will not tell anyone. She listens and will not speak, except to me._

"What do you mean, as long as you've known her?" T'sal suddenly rounded on his life-mate. The dragon looked reproachfully back at him.

_ You never asked. We were at her hold many turns ago, just out of weyrling training. She heard me then, but in the end begged that I not tell anyone. She did not know what to do with it._

"So when we rode Search this time…" T'sal continued the conversation out loud for G'mar's sake.

_ When we rode Search, it was a coincidence that we were assigned to her hold. But I never forgot her. I knew she was there, and was listening for her as soon as we landed. It did not take long for me to hear her again. Why do you think I told you to keep searching the hold? I could not break my promise to her that I would not tell, but I could make sure she was taken to where she would be appreciated. _

T'sal turned haunted eyes to G'mar.

"That explains everything. Her eyes would go unfocused like ours do, I had a suspicion, but I never guessed… "

"But the question is," and here G'mar gently laid a hand on K'sey again, "is she ever going to be able to use that talent again?" A worried bulge from Sementh and a quick exclamation from T'sal said everything.

"Of course she will. She will not leave us!"

"No, she will not leave us tonight. But if you dragonriders would be kind enough, I would like to reinforce my suspicions, and then get this poor child to a more comfortable place to rest." T'sal and G'mar turned around to find Master Tallie standing there, the moonlight etching lines on his aged face.

"Of course Master." T'sal backed away, but Master Tallie shook his head.

"Nay lad, stay here and help me. I shall need assistance only a dragonrider can give. That is, unless you object Weyrleader?"

"Of course not." G'mar put a hand on Master Tallie's shoulder. "Keep her with us. We need her." He turned to T'sal. "She is now your charge, stay with her, and keep Sementh with Zemeth. I am going to find out what happened up there. And who my dragon has trapped." G'mar got an amused glint in his eye. "Lekrith is threatening firestone, I'd better go restrain him. T'sal, have Sementh bespeak Lekrith with news on K'sey."

"I will." And with that, G'mar headed for the stairs.

"Now lass…" Master Tallie was kneeling down beside the girl, "I'm going to have T'sal here slip his hand in yours. When I touch something that hurts, you squeeze his hand and he will tell me. If it hurts a lot, then squeeze all the harder. If you understand, squeeze my hand." A small squeeze on his hand let Master Tallie know she was still there. He gestured to T'sal, who groaned as he knelt beside the figure. Seeing her in pain like this was…

_ It hurts you._

_ Yes my dear Sementh, it does. I don't know how she captured my heart like this but…_

_ But she did._

_ Sementh… you said you never forgot her. How? You forget most everything else. It's what dragons do._

_ You think I would not remember the only other human who speaks to me?_

_ But…_

_ I do not know how I remembered her. But I did. That day I refused to forget because I knew she would need me. She needs us now._

_ I know. _

_ We do not leave her. Now help the Master. _And T'sal did.

****Apologies again for the shortness, more to come when I figure out where exactly this part is going! ****


	8. Explainations

Ina paused briefly as she saw what lay within Sementh's protective wings. A stab of fear shot through her heart at the sight of the young dragon and his rider, but it was quickly replaced with anger as Ranyth's emotions poured into her mind.

_Ranyth? Who is up there? Who do you have?_

_ My other children. They should not be punished however. It is not their fault._

The other weyrlings? Ina was confused, and stopped on the rough worn steps to catch her breath.

_Whose fault is it then?_

_ Their rider's. Not all. No. I believe I have found the culprit. _

_ The BRONZE? _Lekrith's voice suddenly rang in her head, responding to his weyrmate. Ina looked up, startled. There was always conflict among weyrlings, but for a bronze to be involved… She took one last gulp of air and ran the last flight up to the ledge. Trailing her hand gracefully along Ranyth's neck, Ina entered the cavern which was eerily lit by many pairs of glowing dragon's eyes. The weyrlings were huddled in a corner, as far away from Lekrith and Ranyth as they could get. The dragons almost cowered behind their riders, most of whom looked scared senseless at what had just happened. Ina surveyed the pathetic huddle for a moment, and finally allowed her gaze to rest on one, oddly defiant and rather cold young man.

"You." Ina had once been told her piercing blue eyes could send daggers through the heart, and the young man was getting the full effect of her gaze at that moment. His cocky expression vanished when he realized who it was who was calling him.

"Y-e-e-s-s-s Weyrwoman?" His shaky response pleased Ina. Good. His confidence was vanishing fast.

"Do you realize what you just did?" She asked, slowly, yet deliberately approaching the pair. The other weyrlings split from him as though he had a plague.

"Yes Weyrwoman." A small bit of confidence edged back into his voice.

"Would you care to tell me?" Ina's voice was edged with steel now as she came within a few feet of him.

"As a bronze rider, I was merely reminding a blue rider of her rank." Ina could now see his eyes more clearly and was shocked at the coldness that blazed in their depths. This wherry-headed son of a tunnel snake thought he was doing something RIGHT!

"And you believe that you, as a bronze rider, had this authority?"

"Yes Weyrwoman. I do."

"Even though you are yet a weyrling, a GROUNDED weyrling at that?"

"Yes Weyrwoman." That was quite enough for Ina. In a single motion she pinned C'zet to the wall. Ina might be smaller, but she had muscle and skill enough to make up for that..

"You would PRESUME to be the authority figure when the blue rider did NOTHING WRONG?!" She spat in his face. "Do you know what happened because of you little power trip? There is a blue dragon lying next to his rider in the Bowl right now who WOULD. BE. DEAD. If not for the fast thinking of an older dragon." Cold fury laced her voice. "You almost KILLED a fellow dragon and rider. And FOR WHAT? Answer me, bronze rider. ANSWER ME!" Ina's voice echoed around the cavern. Fear was now etched into C'zet's face. He stammered out a response.

"She… she impressed a blue. Gir… girls aren't even SUPPOSE to impress blues!" Ranyth's rage filled her again as Ranyth and Lekrith trumpeted angrily.

"DRAGONS. ARE. ALWAYS. RIGHT. You have NO right to question Zemeth's choice. What were you hoping to do tonight, bronze rider? TELL ME. WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO DO?"

"I… I just… I just wanted her to leave. She doesn't belong here." Ina stared at C'zet, trying hard to comprehend the idiocy of this weyrling.

_He was not intending to kill her. Just scare her into submission. Orath says he did not want to do this, but his rider was so full of hate that he was caught up in his emotions. They are still young, Orath has not learned to control what C'zet is feeling. _Ina still had a hold on C'zet as her eyes slid out of focus to talk to Ranyth.

_How did C'zet get the rest of the boys to follow?_

_ C'zet is a born leader. He was a leader of this pack long before K'sey was _Searched. _They trusted him, and when he said he just wanted to scare her into submission, they believed him. _

_ Why did they separate Zemeth from K'sey? _

_ They did not know any better. Their riders thought it was for the good of the group that K'sey be put in her place, and because they believed it, so did the dragons. C'zet's last move of shoving her off the edge was unexpected and unplanned. _

_ And the beating she received?_

_ Scare tactics. Rough her into submission. There was no murder intended. They are still deeply disturbed by C'zet's last move. So is Orath. He does not understand the hate in C'zet's mind. I am sensing this goes beyond Zemeth's choice of K'sey. _The queen's eyes were still whirring a deep hue of reddish anger. Ina sucked in her breath.

"Weyrlings." Her voice rang through the weyr. "You will all proceed down to the Bowl and back to the barracks. You will stay there until further notice. Move now." The weyrlings slowly began moving towards the door. "Do not try and go anywhere else, Lekrith will be watching. Not you C'zet." She stopped the bronze rider in his tracks. "You are responsible for this, and you will be quarantined her until we decide what to do with you."

"Weyrwoman?" A shaky voice came from the crowd of weyrlings. Ina spotted a very scared green rider looking in her direction.

"Yes weyrling?"

"Is K'sey… is K'sey going to be ok?" There was genuine concern in his voice, and it gave Ina a small spark of hope.

_Ranyth?_

_ Yes. She and Zemeth will stay. The Healer has moved them into the infirmary where her wounds are being bandaged and cared for. J'trel rides Kristh to the mountain to get ice for Zemeth's wings. They are strained badly. It will take them a long time to recover, but they will live._ For the first time that night, Ina smiled.

"Yes weyrling. They will live. It will take them a long time to heal, but they will live." A ghost of a smile remained on her lips as the weyrlings filed out.

_You are happy the pair will live? _Ranyth's quiry echoed in her mind.

_Yes dear heart. I am happy._

_ But you were not happy when they _Impressed. _How can you be not happy and now happy?_

_ No matter how much I disapproved of the pairing, it was Zemeth's choice. I cannot question that._

_ Nor should you. Zemeth is strong. K'sey is strong. It is an excellent pairing. They will go far._ Ina turned with a small bit of surprise to her queen.

_How do you know?_

_ Because I am the queen I know these things. _Ina shook her head in wonderment.

_You will never cease to amaze me, my golden beauty. _The gold nudged her werymate tenderly.

_I will stay here and guard the little bronze. You go find L'tret. _

_ L'tret? _

_ So he knows why his weyrlings are now in confinement. And to find out why nothing was done about this sooner. _Ina stared in wonderment at her queen.

_There are days I believe you should be human._

_ Hmmmph. And there are days YOU should be a dragon. Now go._

_You are a sassy little thing some days. Lekrith? Where is G'mar? I need to speak with him. _Not for the first time did Ina bless her ability to speak to her weyrmate's dragon.

_Chewing out L'tret, I believe. By the weyrling cavern._

_ Thank you._

_ Ranyth? My weyrling count is two short. Who is missing? _

_ Teth and Cromoth. Their riders slept through the whole thing. _Ranyth's voice had a tinge of amusement to it.

_Are they…_

_ Yes. They are Zemeth's friends. They were unaware of the situation and Zemeth did not have the presence of mind to alert them because of the turmoil in K'sey's mind, and they did not hear K'sey before it was too late. Now go. Your weyrmate is getting dangerously close to L'tret. _A gentle image of G'mar yelling in L'tret's face filled her mind, and she grimaced. G'mar had a fabulous temper when provoked, and tonight it was getting the best of him.

_I'm going, I'm going. _

L'tret had his back against the rough hewn wall in a vain attempt to get away from G'mar's face, which was dangerously close to his.

"G'MAR. l've told you, I had NO IDEA of any of this happening!"

"You are WEYRLING MASTER. Your JOB, incase you happened to forget, is to WATCH AND TRAIN THE WEYRLINGS." Spit flew from G'mar and L'tret wiped it off with a disgusted look on his face.

"I understand that, WEYRLEADER. However, I cannot know every little thing that goes on in this cavern! There is always ranking and weyrling disputes, it just happens. I did not think this ground had any more animosity toward each other than any other group I have ever worked with."

"A lone blue and rider with no friends ESCAPED YOUR NOTICE? Not to mention a BRONZE plotting to KILL them?" L'tret sighed. G'mar apparently didn't understand this at all.

"First of all, the blue was not alone. Two other weyrlings befriended the pair, a bronze and a brown. They were not alone. Second, there was no plot to KILL. I thought C'zet might be up to something, but Yerth picked up nothing of a deeper intention."

"He doesn't lie." Ina had finally walked in on the scene and rounded on her weyrmate. "G'mar, back off of L'tret. The poor man needs to breathe." G'mar backed up a few paces and glared at his weyrmate. She glared back. "Ranyth says the intention of tonight was NOT to kill Zemeth or K'sey. It was to scare them into submission. C'zet got out of control. L'tret, you said that they were all sleeping when you left tonight, correct?"

"Yes Weyrwoman." Ina's eyes flashed.

"Don't "yes Weyrwoman" me, L'tret." The brown rider's mouth slowly drew into a half smile. Ranyth and Yerth were from the same Hatching, and he and Ina had be fast friends during their time as werylings.

"Yes ma'am…" He drawled in response. Ina resisted the urge to slap him.

"Now. These weyrlings are to be confined to their quarters for the next three days. The only time when they will be allowed outside is to bath and oil their dragons. You, L'tret, will be drilling them in the hazards of not trusting one another. Can you handle that?"

"I believe I can."

"Good. Now, Teth and Cromoth's riders had nothing to do with this, they will be allowed to go free as they wish. More than likely they will be with K'sey, if Ranyth is correct."

"Yes. They have formed quite the trio. Ah… Ina. What about C'zet?" The brownrider's eyes clouded with worry. G'mar jumped in again.

"He is being restrained in an empty weyr until we decided his punishment. I honestly do not know what to do with him at this time."

"Might I offer an explanation, or perhaps a guess of one for C'zet's actions?" L'tret had an odd look on his face.

"Proceed…" Ina looked curiously at him.

"My guess, good Weyrleaders, lies in a sad story that happened some years ago. C'zet is the son of old Dennal of Bitra. In one of his many quests for power, he had his eyes set on a small but prosperous hold just over the border in Lemos. Having tried again and again to get the old Lord of Lemos to relinquish it, Dennal finally turned to force and rode on the little hold. He was unprepared for the strength and numbers of the holders however, and he and his men were finally forced to flee after a three day battle. But though the little hold won it's freedom, freedom came at a cost. Over twenty of the fifty odd holders died. Including K'sey's parents."

"So that's how she came to be from Gar! I thought her complexion was too brown for that hold." Ina exclaimed with a toss of her head.

"Yes." L'tret's face was now sad. "The infant K'sey went to Gar to live with distant relatives as no one in her home hold could take care of her. "

"I'm sorry L'tret, but what does this have to do with C'zet?" G'mar did not look amused.

"I'm getting there Weyrleader. A moment, if you will. As I said, Dennal and his men escaped, but Dennal did not escape without harm. Have you ever noticed that limp he has? His leg was severely injured and it took him almost a Turn to walk again. It is said that even now he does not walk without pain. It was after this injury that he became the Lord we all know, a terrible man with a terrible temper who took out his frustrations on everyone. Especially his family."

"So you mean…" Ina trailed off. If C'zet was old Dennal's son and what L'tret was saying was correct, then C'zet had suffered terribly at his father's hands. And C'zet would know… She looked back up at L'tret with dawning comprehension. "So C'zet blames the holders in that valley for what happened to his father. And for the abuse he's suffered. Somehow he discovered K'sey was from that hold… But how?"

"He did discover it. Because one night while I was outside keeping watch, the weyrlings had a discussion of their home holds. Mind you, this was only a few days after Hatching. K'sey mentioned that she was originally from that small hold near the border of Lemos and Bitra, but had been removed to Gar after a battle with Bitra that left her an orphan. C'zet, of course, would know exactly who she was after that, and his hatred towards her most likely started that night."

"That explains so much…" G'mar was now thoughtful, the fire having gone out of his eyes. "But what do we do with C'zet? Despite your story L'tret, his actions are still inexcusable."

"Perhaps if he was made to understand his own feelings, he might be able to reconcile himself to her." Ina said, slowly. "I propose that we isolate C'zet and Oarth for a sevenday. They may only feed or bathe when the other weyrlings are not around. After understanding your story, L'tret, I believe that I could talk to him. I would be his only contact during that sevenday, and I am hoping to be able to talk some sense into him. If at the end he can not reconcile to K'sey, we will have to transfer him to another Weyr."

"An excellent idea, Weyrwoman." G'mar looked over with surprise and pride at Ina. "L'tret, your duty is still what the Weyrwoman said earlier, getting those wherry-brained youngsters to understand the need for loyalty among themselves, and also to be on their guard against other's influences. Leave C'zet to Ina."

"And K'sey?" G'mar consulted with Lekrith, and then smiled. "She is well taken care of already. K'vine and B'treli wait anxiously for her to awake, as does T'sal. Zemeth is sleeping lightly and the swelling in his wings has already gone down." G'mar nodded a dismissal at L'tret who saluted him, and then with a slightly sappy smile, brazenly kissed the Weyrwoman on the cheek. Ina blushed and shoved him playfully.

"Get out of here you big lug!" She called after the retreating figure. G'mar drew Ina to him.

"What shall we tell the Weyr, dear heart?"

"Ranyth has already taken care of that. They know what they need to know, but nothing more. When I know more from C'zet, then the Weyr will know more."

"An excellent plan. Now, I believe my bed is calling me, as I left it far too early this morning. Is this morning?" He laughed when Ina silently pointed at the sun making rays in the eastern sky. They walked back to their weyr quietly in the dawn air, each turning over the events of the night in their minds, and each, though they would not admit it, worried over the little blue and his rider


	9. Safe

_K'sey… 'Lsey… 'Lsey… K'sey!_

"Ooof!" K'sey suddenly grunted in pain as something heavy hit her chest. Her eyelids struggled to open against the pull of fellis tainted sleep. A few short blinks restored sight to her eyes, and she found herself staring straight into a pair of dragon eyes, alternately whirring with stress and happiness.

_You're awake! I knew you'd wake up. I felt you coming out of that darkness. And now you're back! _Zemeth's eyes whirled faster as he thought about how clever he was to sense that his rider was waking up.

_Zemeth dear. _K'sey gasped, the weight still on her chest. _Would you please get your great bloody foot off my chest so i can breathe?_ Zemeth looked down at the offending food, and hastily pulled it up and on to the side of the bed. It was only then that K'sey noticed Zemeth had somehow managed to get a foot on each side of the bed, so he was straddling her like a giant tent. Zemeth stuck his wedge shaped head within inches of her face.

_Aren't you glad to see me?_ The question was so plaintive, K'sey instinctively raised her hand to scratch his eye ridges, ignoring the sudden pain it brought to her back.

_Oh Zem, of course I am! You just had your foot in the wrong place, that's all. I love you so much… _ The two sat that way for a moment just enjoying each other's company, before it struck K'sey. _Zemeth. Where am I?_

_You're in the Healer's room. Sementh's rider brought you here._ With that, the events of the night came crashing back around her.

_Zemeth! Are you alright? Your wings… did you hurt them? _K'sey was suddenly aware that the dull ache around her shoulder blades might have nothing to do with her at all.

_I am alright. _Zemeth pulled his head back to stare at his wing joints for a moment. They had large bundles tied to them and looked oddly wet. His wings had been carefully laid along his back and gently strapped down so he couldn't open them.

_Is that… blood coming though the bandages? Do I need to call someone? _K'sey's concern broke his inspection. Zemeth turned his attention back to her with an almost impish expression.

_Of course not! Kristh went up to the mountain and came back with the white cold stuff._

_That's snow dear._

_Snow! Yes, snow and more clear cold stuff._

_Ice? _K'sey found herself grinning at his still childlike vocabulary.

_Ice! And then they tied that on my wings and they stopped hurting so much. I think it's melting though… _The comic look of sadness in his eyes was more than K'sey could bear. She let out a shout of laughter, but it quickly turned to a yelp of pain and wheezing.

_What happened?_ Zemeth urgently nudged her face with his nose. _Did I do something?_

_No Zem, something just hurt… a lot… when I laughed. _ K'sey gently maneuvered her arm to grip her ribs and winced. The movement seemed to grate at her stomach and pull painfully at her back.

_Should I not make you laugh then? _Zemeth's eyes had lost any happiness and whirring at a frightful speed. She looked up at him lovingly.

_Laughter is good! I just won't let it escape my mind. I like it when you make me laugh. _Zemeth lowered his head to where K'sey didn't even have to pick up her arm to stroke him.

_Good. I like making you laugh. It will help you feel better faster._

"Young one, I cannot fathom how you got yourself up there, but as that is a terribly dangerous way to be watching your rider, would you please get yourself down?" The slightly hesitant, yet authoritative voice broke the pair's silent exchange. Zemeth looked over at the aged man guiltily. "I cannot make your rider better with you straddling her like that you know." Zemeth looked at him again, huffed once, and somehow managed to get himself back on the floor without a single mishap. He curled into a small ball at the foot of K'sey's bed like a chastised child, but left his head over the edge just touching her feet. The man smiled. "Thank you. And now you lass." As he turned back towards her, K'sey got a good look at him. He was much older than his voice betrayed, with silver hair and an almost wizened expression. But his gray eyes were soft and kind as they smiled at her, and she instantly felt as though she could trust his man.

"Sss-irr?" _Oh crackdust! _ K'sey swore mentally as her voice cracked and shook, and she flushed.

"No need to be embarrassed my dear. You haven't much had the opportunity to use that voice in a good few days." Master Tallie pulled a chair over to her bedside as he spoke.

"Days sir?" _Zemeth… has it been that long?_

_You have been in the dark for a long time. _

"Yes my dear. And please, feel free to call me Master if you must use a title, though I prefer simply Tallie."

"Master… how long has it been since… since it happened?" Tallie hesitated.

"A good four days now. You have been in and out of consciousness, mainly out due to fellis though. It was easier for your body to heal that way."

"Fo-ur… four days?" K'sey stammered. The enormity of what had happened was finally hitting her.

"Aye lass. There was a time there we weren't sure you'd pull though."

"I almost…." She couldn't bring herself to finish the thought.

_But you didn't! _Zemeth's voice rang true in her mind. _I told you to stay and you did. So did Sementh and Teth and Cromoth and many more. We wouldn't let you leave. But you were in an awful black place… please don't go back there._

"Zemeth says I was in a black place?" K'sey searched Tallie's face for answers. A ghost of a smile haunted his face.

"The fellis sometimes does that to riders. The will be so asleep even their dragons cannot touch their minds. I will be careful not to give you that much fellis ever again. Your young blue must be very brave, most other dragons would be going crazy if they could not touch their rider's minds!" Zemeth's eyes whirled proudly.

"Master, dare I ask what happened?"

"Oh my dear," Tallie smiled "of course you may. I gather you remember the fall and Zemeth's brave attempt to catch you?"

"Yes…" K'sey shuddered at the memory. "I also remember hitting something warm before I blacked out. Then lying on something cold with a huge shadow around me… I remember nothing else."

"Aye. That warm thing you hit was Sementh. How he knew to come and save you is still beyond me, but he caught you just before you hit the ground. Both of you. The cold you remember was you lying on the floor of the bowl for a moment or two until I got there. The shadow was Sementh wrapping his wings around the pair of you to protect you. You made a great impression on that dragon, he obviously loves you very much."

"Sementh is a true friend." K'sey smiled softly. Zemeth nudged her foot and without thinking K'sey reached to pat him, but fell back onto the cushions quickly with a painful gasp. Tallie had instinctively moved to brace her if necessary, and now wore a concerned look on his face.

"Please don't try that again, your body simply isn't ready for it."

"Wha… what happened to me?" K'sey managed to gasp out, still fighting to regain control of the pain.

"The bronze rider did a number on you to begin with, multiple bruises and a few cracked ribs to boot. But I surmise most of your pain is from your back, correct?" Tallie looked thoughtfully at K'sey as she nodded. "It's to be expected. Zemeth did a brave thing, trying to save you. But his claws left rents deep in your back. It will take a long time to heal." At this, Zemeth pushed in front of Tallie looking miserable.

_I hurt you…_

_Zemeth._ K'sey said firmly, and looked straight into his downcast eyes. _You were trying to save me. That was worth hurting me for! I am so very proud of you, trying to save me like that. Why, you must be the bravest dragon on all of Pern!_

_But dragons don't hurt their riders…._

_You were trying to save me from an even greater hurt. That is worth you hurting me a little. Besides, just think of the neat scars I'll have on my back! Jays, they'll be beautiful!_ A little bit of joy was returning to Zemeth's eyes now.

_You like scars?_

_Of course I do Zemeth, they will remind me of you, and that way I will always carry you with me._ Zemeth's eyes glowed at her words.

Tallie was used to working with dragonriders, so he tactfully waited until K'sey refocused her eyes again before speaking.

"Now, I must warn you that you won't be moving for a long while yet, and I am also going to plead with you not to tire yourself out with visitors or trying to get up too soon. Though from the looks of things that last one will be hard for you to promise, won't it." Tallie's eyes caught the glint of humor and good natured rebellion in her eyes, and knew his assessment had been correct.

"Master, I am a dragonrider. I can't promise anything of the sort."

"Aye, I more than figured. But enough talk. There are several young men waiting none too patiently out in the hall to see you, and I think I'd better let them in before they break down the door. BUT you must promise me you will sleep after they visit, understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good." Tallie turned back to the door and had to quickly step aside after opening it to avoid getting run over by two lanky weyrlings, a taller dragonrider, and two small dragons.

"K'sey! You're awake! How long… does it hurt…. Zemeth… worried… Cromoth won't… if I hear from Teth… other weyrlings…." K'vine and B'treli were smiling as though they had never smiled before and kept talking on top of one another to the point where K'sey couldn't even understand them. K'sey was grinning wildly too.

"Boys. What did Master Tallie say about NOT tiring K'sey out?" The two stopped talking immediately with guilty looks. K'sey caught T'sal's eyes, and he brushed past the boys to give her a gentle hug. "I thought I almost lost you…" he whispered.

"I'm a lot harder to lose than you think" she whispered back, touched that the big brown rider would be that worried over her. K'vine came over to her hesitantly.

"You're going to be alright, right? Tallie wasn't hedging?"

"Do you think a Master would hedge with you?" K'sey scoffed. She softened a bit. The worry lines on the boys faces said it all. "He wan't hedging. I'll be out for a good few sevendays, but don't worry, I'll be back at training before you know it! And you two can help me catch up, seeing as you'll be far ahead of me…" she added with a rueful sigh.

"Well…" B'treli grinned at K'vine. "Should we tell her?"

"Oh, why not." K'vine grinned back. "We won't be ahead."

"What on Pern do you mean?" K'sey asked quizzically.

"Well…" B'treli started, "see we talked to L'tret and seeing how Zemeth'll need someone to take care of him while you're in here, he gave us permission to hold off training 'till you're back."

"You did that… for me?" K'sey was startled. "What about Teth and Cromoth? They need to develop properly…"

"Oh, we know that. L'tret gave us the slates with stretching instructions to get them properly ready. As soon as Zemeth is healed he can join us too! Sementh and T'sal are going to help us. This way you won't be alone when you're better."

"Wherever would I be without you guys?" K'sey asked, moved by their sacrifice. The boys merely grinned even more.

"A thousand lengths up."

"Without a dragon."

"Don't you two have class?" T'sal broke in.

"Yes sir!" There was no hesitation as each of them kissed K'sey on the top of the head and bounded out with Teth and Cromoth.

"Imps." T'sal shook his head. K'sey looked carefully at the brown rider, wondering if she should tell him what was bothering her or not.

_You are wondering if you should tell him that you called Sementh? _Zemeth asked quietly.

_Yes. I don't know how he would take it. I do not think it is a common thing._

_It is not. But I do not mind that you can talk to others besides me. It has already saved you twice. I would tell him. _

_He already knows._ A different voice broke into her thoughts.

_Sementh?_

_Of course little one. He has been wondering for a long time now, but he knows. Though he would like to hear it from you I think._

_Thank you Sementh._

"T'sal," she started hesitantly. "There's something I need to tell you." T'sal sat down on Tallie's vacated stool.

"You can tell me anything."

"Well… when I was falling… I kind of… I cried out to Sementh. I spoke to him direct. And… and it's not the first time I've done that." K'sey gulped as she looked up. T'sal's face encouraged her to go on. "I've… well… when you came to Gar on Search I could hear Sementh. And… years ago you and he were there when I was but six turns, that's when I heard him for the first time. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I didn't want anyone to look at me different."

"My dear, I think that fear should have been gone when you Impressed Zemeth. But I understand. And it explains a lot! Your eyes would go unfocused, but I never dreamt that you were talking to dragons like the Impressed do! G'mar knows by the way." T'sal laughed as K'sey groaned. "He is eagerly waiting for your recovery, a talent like that is incredibly valuable to the Weyr!"

"Me, valuable? I'm the disgrace of the weyr!"

"Not quite." T'sal smiled. "Thread is due back soon, you know that." K'sey nodded slowly and Zemeth's eyes tinged red at the mention of their ancient foe. "Just think, when the wings rise again, Ranyth won't have to coordinate alone. You can help."

"If you say so…" K'sey trailed off. The initial burst of energy she'd felt from seeing T'sal and the boys was wearing off rapidly, and a dull ache settling into her bones. Zemeth picked up on her pain and nudged T'sal in the ribs.

"Oooof." T'sal groaned, and then peered closer at the small blue. "Alright little one, I get it. I'll leave her alone. I promised Tallie I wouldn't be long anyhow." Zemeth stepped back, satisfied.

"Sleep Kes. Bespeak Cromoth when you're awake again, we'll come."

"Kay…" By now K'sey could barely keep her eyes open.

_Sleep little one. We will not let you go into the black again._

"Wait… T'sal?" K'sey struggled awake again.

"Yes?"

"Cromoth said something… about you having a sister. Wha… What happened?" T'sal's face bore a sad smile as he turned back to her.

"Later Kes. I promise. Sleep now, and dream of flying."

_We can dream together!_ Zemeth's sleepy thought made her smile, and she finally surrendered to the weights in her eyes while Zemeth's tail twitched with dreams they both shared


	10. Old Friends

"And what kind of reason is that for hating someone?"

"It just… it just IS!" C'zet exploded in frustration. His eyes had reduced to a stormy gray, and Orath's whirled the same color.

Ina took a long, steadying breath. Five days she'd spent talking to C'zet, trying to make him see reason. Five long, heart-wrenching days. He was no closer to realizing his hatred of K'sey was unfounded than she was of flying.

_Ranyth?_

_You are wondering what to do with him._ The queen stated rather than questioned.

_Yes. He won't listen! I've been trying to days to get through to him, and nothing. I can't let him go through weyrling training when he refuses to acknowledge that he almost killed one of his fellow weyrlings! But he's a bronze rider, and we have precious few of them as there is. _

_But is an arrogant bronze rider who has a personal grudge against one of your blue riders and has show he has no qualms about hurting "underlings" the kind of bronze rider you want around?_

_NO._

_Then it is time. G'mar has already spoken to High Reaches, they have a clutch about the same age as mine, they have agreed to take him. They have a few very strong bronze riders in that class, they will keep an eye on him. _

_I feel like I failed him, Ranyth. _Turning away from Orath and C'zet, Ina walked out of the cavern. Ranyth surprised her by backwinging onto the ledge and stopping Ina in her tracks.

_You did NOT fail him. He has failed himself. _

… _But Oarth…._

_Oarth will grow strong and prosper. _ The queen looked distant as she spoke. _If Oarth is able to change his rider's thoughts for the better, they will be a remarkable pair._

_And if not? _Ina shuddered at the answer.

_If not… C'zet has a commanding presence and knows how to bend others to his will. I shudder to think what he could do should his attitude not change. _The queen bowed her head in sadness.

_Shhhhhhh, it's alright. Do not think about what might happen. Concentrate on the good that is happening. The weyrlings have all already gone to ask K'sey's forgiveness, and they are all a much tighter group for having once been led astray. They will not make that mistake again. Zemeth and K'sey grow stronger by the day, and oh, look Ranyth! J'nen and Tarseth are back!_ Raynth's head shot up and she gave a bulge of happiness as she spotted the brown duo. Ina laughed as Raynth sprang off the ledge and flew to greet the pair in a rather undignified manner. Tarseth was from Raynth's first Hatching by Lekrith and while she was overly fond of the whole clutch, she had gotten particularly attached to J'nen and Tarseth. For that matter, so had Ina. With a soppy grin on her face, Ina ran to greet the pair.

"J'nen! It's been too long!"

"Ina!" J'nen embraced his weyrwoman heartily. "That is has. The next time you need a rider stationed at Fort Hold, think twice before sending me, would you please? I almost died." J'nen mimed swooning.

"Please. You had it easy my friend, and you know it. How many pretty girls did you seduce while you were there?" Ina gave him a wink and J'nen had the grace to blush.

"Only one, and there was no seducing. Just…"

_Plenty of kissing. On the fireheights so you wouldn't be seen. You almost brought her back here!_ Tarseth had finally finished talking to Ranyth long enough to insert his tart remark. Ina was giggling so hard tears threatened to roll down her cheeks.

"Oh Tarseth, I have missed you. And I've desperately needed something to laugh about, thank you." Ina inclined her head to the brown, and he nodded back.

"So what has been happening?" J'nen asked as they crossed the bowl in search of food. "Tarseth got some of the story, something about a blue and a girl, and hatred and someone got hurt?" Reluctantly, Ina nodded and proceeded to give J'nen the full story as he stuffed his face on warm sweetbreads and klah. When she had concluded with L'tret's conjecture as to why C'zet hated K'sey so much, J'nen started.

"K'sey… and you said she was originally from a small hold near Lemos and Bitra?"

"Yes, why?"

"There's no way… and yet… who Searched her? And from where?" Ina regarded J'nen with surprise, he was now anxious and almost coming out of his chair.

"T'sal did, from Gar Hold."

"Gar? GAR?! Why didn't you say so? Kelsey is here? At FORT? And she's IMPRESSED?!" J'nen had broken into a wide smile and was fighting back shouts of joy. Ina stared at him.

"Kelsey? Gar? J'nen, what ARE you going on about?"

"Ina, I'll explain later. Where is she?"

K'sey had just finished reviewing the weyrling lessons for the day when Zemeth's head shot up.

_Did you once have a brother called Jenen?_ Zemeth asked cautiously. K'sey stared at him and sat up wincing a bit.

"Yes… he was, is, my half brother. We have the same father,"she explained as Zemeth sent confused feelings at her. "Why?"

_Was he Searched?_

"Almost three turns ago. Zem, how do you know all this? I never told you…"

"Because Tarseth just asked him everything even when I TOLD him to wait until I got to you first. Wherry-breath."

_Fish hide. I wanted to talk to Zemeth._

K'sey stared at the figure who had just walked through the door unannounced. Tall with rugged looks, J'nen had filled out since the last time K'sey had seen him. His light brown hair had streaks of sun-lightened blond in it, and fell in a tidy mess around his face. That, and the soppy grin on his face that mirrored her own, were the only indications they were siblings. Where her eyes shone a light brown, his green ones seem to pick up every reflection of light, and were suspiciously moist at the moment. For that matter, so were hers.

"Jenen? Is that really you?" K'sey whispered in wonder.

"No, it's some other terribly hansome young man who would like you inform you that you are the most beautiful sight my eyes have seen in a few turns." A hiss from K'sey's bedside caused J'nen to look over bow. "My duties to you as well, dragon of my sister. You have the makings of one of the finest blues Fort has ever seen, if you don't mind me saying so." Mollified, Zemeth dropped his head in a return mimicry of a bow and sat back down on his haunches.

"Brat." J'nen looked back at K'sey as she spat out the word, but her eyes were twinkling in pure joy. "And your eyes would have seen this beauteous wonder sooner had they not forgotten about it."

"Tunnel snake. Just as bad as ever I see." And with that, J'nen sat down on the bed and drew her into his arms. K'sey snuggled close to him as she fought back tears.

"I never thought I'd see you again." she murmered.

"I'm sorry… I meant to come back for you some day, I swear I did. But then there was Tarseth and, well, you know how you think of nothing else besides Zemeth…. can you ever forgive me?" J'nen pulled away for a moment to stare into his sister's eyes.

"Of course I can. I already have." J'nen grinned broadly at her.

"Would you like to meet Tarseth? He says… he says he can hear you?" At this J'nen was confused.

"Yes. He can. They all can. Oh Jenen, I'm so sorry I never told you! I didn't tell anyone. Sementh was the only one who knew because it was he who I talked to first."

"You… you can hear all of them? How did you not get taken on Search with me?" J'nen looked at her, startled.

"I was out with the runners in the far fields, we didn't even know there was a Search until evening… and you were gone."

"That explains so much…"

_If you two are done playing the why and what if game, I'd like to meet my rider's sister._ Tarseth had finally cut in, and K'sey smiled.

_Good day to you, dragon of my brother. I am called K'sey, I am Zemeth's rider. _

_I am very pleased to meet you, K'sey Zemeth's rider. My name is Tarseth. I have heard much about you. Good day to you as well, Zemeth. Sementh has told me of your bravery in saving your rider._

_It was nothing._ Zemeth sent softly.

_I look forward to meeting you both face to face soon. But for now, there is a fine wherry that I've laid claim to and I'd like to eat it before Lekrith gets it first._

K'sey and J'nen started laughing.

"Is he always like this?" K'sey asked.

"Always. Ranyth is a close friend of his and Lekrith gets jealous occasionally. They both play it up to more than it is though." J'nen grinned broadly down at his sister. K'sey shook her head at him.

"Like rider like dragon. Well, if the high and mighty brown rider isn't too busy, this still new weyrling could use some help on her lessons." J'nen laughed and grabbed the nearest slate and began explaining it to the bedridden rider with a blue dragon's head draped across her lap.


	11. Hope

_(Welcome back everyone! If you go back over the previous chapters you'll realize I made a tiny change. K'lsey has been dropped to K'sey, it's easier to say and closer to a traditional dragonrider's name.)_

_ Are you ready?_ A breeze ruffled K'sey's hair as Zemeth blew at her. She turned to look up at the blue.

_ I was born ready. And so were you._ A moment's joy passed between the pair before they turned to cheer on B'treli and Cromoth who were to take flight. Teth, standing to K'sey's side, and Zemeth nearly deafened their riders when they bulged ecstatically as Cromoth gave an almightily leap and took to the air. K'vine gave her a nervous thumbs up before shaking his head at Zemeth and turning back to Teth. K'sey glowed with pride. Over the past few months Zemeth had grown ridiculously large for a blue, to the point where he and Cromoth were neck in neck and Teth ahead by only a length. It was K'vine's favorite pastime to make fun of the huge blue and the growing contests that ensued between the three dragons. Turning to stare at her friend again, K'sey couldn't help but admire how beautiful Zemeth was. Deep midnight blue that faded to a lighter evening sky blue on his muzzle, feet, and tail, wings of the sun-kissed sapphire, and tiny lighter dots in clusters that gave the appearance of stars; he had to be the most beautiful dragon on all of Pern.

_ Look at me! We're flying! B'treli, we're flying, we're flying! _ Cromoth's broadcast throughout broke her admiration of her dragon. Cromoth was still high above the weyr bowl, his reddish brown wings catching the light as he circled the star stones. K'sey snorted with laughter as she rolled her shoulders to relieve the tension. The long scars on her back still pulled when she stretched but she didn't mind. Zemeth gently butted her back with his head.

_ They're love scars. _He said quietly.

_ Of course they are. I wouldn't have it any other way! _Zemeth nudged her again and his plaint was clear this time; she obligingly scratched his eye ridges.

_ Tarseth says J'nen would like to remind you that holding on would be advisable. _Zemeth passed to K'sey with his eyes closed in happiness.

_ Please tell Tarseth to tell his rider that unlike some people, I do hang on and don't plan on falling off during my first flight. _ J'nen was a bit famous throughout Fort for not hanging on during his first flight and very nearly falling off when Tarseth took a turn too fast. K'sey grinned as she felt Tarseth's amusement at her comment. J'nen would probably get her later, but she didn't care right now.

"K'sey, you and Zemeth are up!" L'tret called as Cromoth back-winged in for a landing. Instantly the two were on the alert. Zemeth crouched down and offered her a forepaw to step on. A sevenday of practice ensured that she stepped lightly onto the foot and with one motion was between the neck ridges. K'sey grabbed the leather flying straps and double checked to make sure they were fastened properly, smiling a bit as she tugged on the well-stitched leather.

_ Well, one good thing came from long hours abed, _she thought wryly. Settling down into Zemeth's neck ridge, she closed her eyes.

_ Ready when you are dear one._ Zemeth said nothing in response but she could feel him crouch down and tense his muscles. He hesitated.

_ Ride with me,_ he whispered to her. K'sey's mouth twitched in a tiny grin, and then she allowed her mind to melt fully into Zemeth's. She _was_ Zemeth in that moment, feeling every muscle and sinew ready to launch into the air, seeing the bowl through fauceted eyes, and feeling his slow breathing. It was a trick they'd perfected while K'sey was still laid up but wanted to see the formations the weyrlings were learning. For moments like this, it was pure bliss.

_ GO!_ Both mind voices screamed together as haunches thrust up in a powerful motion and the gigantic wings swept downwards, barely missing the earth. Once, twice, three times they awkwardly pumped, lilting to the side a little each time but gaining altitude none the less. Then the wings found a rhythm and the ground fell away in great leaps and jumps as they spiraled toward the ridge. The lake glittered like an oversized jewel as they soared across it, their shadow dancing in the waves. Every beat of Zemeth's wings was strong and sure after sevendays of practice while K'sey waited on the ground. He leaned into the turn at the end of the bowl easily and as they swept back towards the waiting group, K'sey let out a joyous yell that was echoed by Zemeth's brassy bulge. This was living! To fly for the sun, to feel the cool breeze sweep over your face, to be one with the living flesh beneath you… Oh how she pitied the poor earth-bound holders! She had tasted flight, and would now spend her life looking skyward for it was where she'd always long to return.

On the ground the tiny figures of the rest of the weyrlings could be seen cheering her on, a reddish brown and light bronze the hardest of all. As the pair leaned into the final turn K'sey sucked in a deep breath of the cool autumn air. They'd done it. They'd flown, against every odd.

_ We are truly dragon and rider now, _she thought quietly.

_ And we will ALWAYS be that, no matter what. _Zemeth murmured as he angled in for a landing.

Far to the north, a stocky young man nearly flung the flying straps off his young bronze.

_ Watch it!_ Oarth demanded, sticking his nearly grown nose in C'zet's path. The young dragon had grown well and large, his deep bronze bordering more on an earth brown. _What is bothering you? _ He demanded.

_ Them._ The answer was short and clipped.

_ They are always bothering you. Why do you let them?_

_ Because they are idiots, Oarth. Them and everyone here. Oh, we pretend to be dragomen, but our time is past. The Red Star pulses in the east, that's known, but Thread is gone. And yet we linger here…_

_ We linger because the Red Star pulses again in the east. Thread WILL come again, I can feel it. _

_ But until then, what? _C'zet started into Oarth's eyes. _We hide in our weyrs, and bow to the Holders. I've had enough of bowing to anyone. We should rule this planet, people should be bowing to US. _

_ They will be soon enough, when the Threads fall from the sky. _

_ Soon. But not soon enough. The Weyr is old, Oarth. Things need to be changed around here. _

_ What about Zemeth and K'sey? They are a big change…_ Oarth trailed off as C'zet rounded on him.

_ How many times have I told you to never speak those names to me?_

_ It was just a comment._

_ They are the reason we are here having to endure these wherry brained blathering idiots. I had a perfectly good life at Fort, with plenty of friends. And then THEY had to come into the mix and ruin it all! Now I'm stuck in this ice cave of a Weyr with no one to talk to and everyone waiting to catch me doing something else wrong. _

_ I don't think everyone here is waiting for you to mess up. They are wary, that is all._

_ Oarth, that is exactly why I'm upset._ C'zet stomped angrily around their weyr. _Why should they be wary of me?! I have done NOTHING wrong. _At this Oarth reared as far as he could in the cave and bulged his frustration.

_You could have KILLED K'sey and Zemeth! That is why they are wary! Do you deny it?_

_ No. _C'zet muttered sullenly.

_ Then no more of this. What is, is. It cannot be undone or changed. You go get food, we have a long, straight flight to the Gather tomorrow._

_ I'd forgotten about that…_ C'zet admitted. Oarth nudged him.

_ It will be a chance to have some fun and stop your brooding. Besides, I heard that the Weyrling master plans to have us fly in pairs, weaker to stronger. That means I might get to be with that gorgeous green…_

C'zet actually smiled at this. Oarth's eye had been on a lithe green by the name of Branath who's rider was one of the few female riders in the weyr. He would not mind sharing her furs when the time came.

_I heard that._ Oarth sang in his mind.

_ Oh shut up your great lug._

At daybreak the weyrlings were lined up in the bowl paired, as Oarth had predicted, strongest to weakest to give them practice yielding to the other colors needs. Oarth was fairly dancing as Branath was selected to be beside him.

_Ready to fly, oh great one? _She mocked with whirling eyes. Her rider beamed up at C'zet who just barely managed not to blush and grin back. For her alone, this transfer was worth it.

_Bring it on. _Oarth curved his head over hers and gave a little bulge.

"SILENCE." The weyrling master ordered. 28 dragon and rider pairs obeyed instantly. "Now, Nabol Hold is a good two hour flight for you all. You may attempt acrobatics and different flight techniques, but remember. You MUST be within shouting distance of your partner at ALL times! That means any moves, any tricks, any new techniques must be able to be completed by both members of your team. This is an exercise similar to working with a wing. The hardest formation you attempt must be doable by the weakest member of your team or it is worthless. Now on my mark, FLY!"

The flight was more than enjoyable for the two young pairs. Oarth's speed and strength was matched by Branath's agility and liveliness. The two riders spend the majority of the flight daring each other into different moves which each dragon rose to magnificently. By the end, C'zet was smiling more than he had smiled in a long time, and Branath's rider Saria has a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"You know" Saria started when they landed at Nabol, "Branath here has informed me she wouldn't mind Oarth trying to fly her when she rises. That's only a few months off."

"Oh really…" C'zet did blush this time. Saria shot him a grin.

"I bet Oarth has said the same thing, the way he's been looking at her."

"Um…." C'zet ducked his head as Saria gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder.

"Hey. I know I'm a fantastic catch of a green rider, mainly because I'm female and all. But I'd rather have someone catch me that I actually like, if you know what I mean." Her blue eyes twinkled up at C'zet, and in a moment of clarity he grabbed her hand in his. He didn't let go until much later in the Gather.


End file.
